The Gurkha Makes Strong Start As Galileo Passes Million Mark At Arqana

19/08/2019

The first million sale at the 2019 Arqana August Yearling Sale came courtesy of Ecurie des Monceaux and Lady O’Reilly’s Galileo colt out of Prudente, a full-sister to the dam of Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita (Montjeu).

At a bid of €1.5million, the successful buyer was Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida, much to his delight, as he later explained, “I am very, very happy to secure this horse and I’m really blessed to bring him back to Japan. He came from a very good family and he is very athletic. He has great size and is a great mover. I can’t say enough about him.”

The young trainer, who has trained a pair of champion two-year-olds, also looks farther ahead in the Galileo colt’s potential success, musing, “We lost Deep Impact and King Kamehameha; that was a big loss for Japan and we’d be all looking for the next upcoming stallion. Hopefully he could be a stallion prospect in Japan.”

Mitsu Nakauchida will also take a son of Camelot back to Japan, after securing Lot 95 from Camas Park and Glenvale Studs for €650,000. A half-brother to Stakes performer High Strung (Mastercraftsman), the colt is out of a winning Peintre Celebre half-sister to Hurricane Run (Montjeu).

Camelot was a huge draw for Nakauchida, he said, “I've always liked the progeny of Camelot and he's very athletic-looking; he moves very well. I'm sure he'll do very well in Japan.”

Camas Park and Glenvale Stud also enjoyed a successful sale with Lot 144, a Galileo filly from the family of Ectot, who was knocked down to Hugo Merry for €560,000. Haras des Capucines was another consignor who benefitted from sire power, when selling their Galileo half-sister to Group 1 performer Peace Envoy (Power) to agent Morten Buskop for €650,000.

Haras de la Louviere consigned the first yearling offered by The Gurkha as Lot 112 and were rewarded with a €525,000 sale, paid by MV Magnier. The bay colt is a half-brother to Group 2 winner The Black Princess, bred by Lady O’Reilly’s Petra Bloodstock Agency out of a half-sister to Group 1 winners Latice and Lawman.

After signing the docket, MV Magnier said, “He's a very nice horse and looks like he could be a good two-year-old. We like buying from the best nurseries like Lady O'Reilly's. The Gurkha was an exceptionally tough horse. He was pretty unwell during his racing career but what he did on the track showed what a remarkably tough horse he was. That day in the French Guineas he was very impressive.”

The Gurkha’s sole other offering on the day was a filly out of Listed winner Pearl Grey, who was sold by Camas Park and Glenvale Studs to Horse France for €250,000. It brought The Gurkha’s average yearling price to €387,500, with his first crop having been conceived at a fee of €25,0000.

Gleneagles is currently enjoying a strong start with his first juveniles and saw this rewarded in the sales ring, with Lot 93 from Haras de Montaigu selling for €220,000 to Gerard Larrieu. The March-born colt is out of a black-type half-sister to Epsom Derby hero Wings Of Eagles (Pour Moi), while his second dam finished third in the French 1,000 Guineas.

Gerard Larrieu also paid the highest price for a son of Zoffany on the day, as he went to €280,000 for Lot 120 from Coulonces Sales. A half-brother to two Stakes horses, the bay is out of Group 3 winner Magic America, who was also runner-up in the Group 1 Prix Morny.

No Nay Never’s popularity with buyers came as no surprise, with his most expensive lot of the day coming from Haras d’Etreham. MV Magnier cast the winning bid of €300,000 for the colt out of Painting, a half-sister to multiple Stakes winner Beauty Is Truth, perhaps better known as the dam of top fillies Hydrangea (Galileo) and Hermosa (Galileo).

The progeny of Australia have enjoyed success on the track in France, with Beyond Reason having won the Group 2 Prix du Calvados, while Broome finished second in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. This perhaps had a part to play in Paul Nataf stretching to €190,000 for Haras de Montaigu’s Australia half-sister to Group 3 winner Rocques.